Garment belts typically include a buckle for adjusting length of the belt to a wearer""s waist size. The buckle may provide a number of discrete positions for fastening the belt or may include a mechanism for adjustment along a continuous length of the belt. In any case, the length of the belt is fixed once the belt is placed about a wearer""s waist and the buckle is fastened. As a significant disadvantage, fixed-length belts such as these will not adapt to changes in a user""s waistline, which may occur when a user is active, when a user changes from a standing to a sitting position, or simply when a user eats an ample meal.
One approach to this problem is to fashion a belt from a pliable material that can extend during use, such as rubber or certain woven strapping materials. However, this approach cannot accommodate the use of familiar and aesthetically pleasing materials, such as finished leather, for a belt.
There remains a need for a belt fashioned from a non-extendible material that can adapt to variations in a wearer""s waistline while in use.
A garment belt includes an extendible insert. The insert may flex or stretch while the belt is being worn so that the belt adapts to variations in a wearer""s waist size and shape.